Odisha celebrates agrarian festival ‘Akshaya Tritiya’

Bhubaneswar: Agrarian festival ‘Akshaya Tritiya’ was today celebrated across Odisha with farmers performing ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’, the ceremonial act of sowing seeds in their paddy fields after ploughing. The occasion marks the commencement of agricultural works.

As per rituals, farmers wearing new clothes carry a decorated basket of seeds to their fields where the seeds are offered to Goddess Lakshmi praying for a rich harvest season.

The festival also marks the beginning of ‘Chandan Yatra’ of deities at several shrines in Odisha. The construction of chariots for Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in Puri also starts from today.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik greeted the people of the state on the occasion wishing for a good harvest season and prosperity of farmers.

ପବିତ୍ର ଅକ୍ଷୟ ତୃତୀୟା ଅବସରରେ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ। ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ କୃପାରୁ ଚାଷୀ ଭାଇଙ୍କ ଅଖିମୁଠି ଅନୁକୂଳ ଶୁଭଙ୍କର ହେଉ। ଚଳିତ ବର୍ଷ ଭଲ ଫସଲ ଅମଳ ଚାଷୀଙ୍କ ଶୁଖ ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧିର ଧାରାକୁ ଅଧିକ ତ୍ବରାନ୍ବିତ କରୁ। pic.twitter.com/t9292CT0P6

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 18, 2018

Patnaik also participated in the ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’ ceremony at the state-level Krushak Divas organised at Nakachi in Angul district and inaugurated as many as 11 projects.

The day of ‘Akshaya Tritiya’ is considered to be auspicious for new beginnings like weddings, buying property, making investments, etc. It is believed that things started on the day of Akshaya Tritiya continue to grow and prosper.

Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be the day of the birth of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is also considered to be the day when Ved Vyasa and Lord Ganesha started writing the Mahabharata.